Bottle-closure.



v 'w; 'E. GASTON.

BOTTLE GLOSUBE. APPLICATION FILED DEG. 2.0, 1912..

Patented Dec. 29, 1914.

VIII]! 1 n 1111111111 1 In Venlo k: William E Gasion,

mines/50s.-

To allvvwhom it may concern:

, WILLIAM E. GASTON, OF WATERBURY, CONNECTICUT.

BOTTLE-CLOSURE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 29, 1914.

Application filed December 20, 1912. Serial No. 787,779.

. Be it known that I, VVILLTAM E. Gas'ron, a citizen of the United States, residing 1n Waterbury, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have'invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bottle-Closures, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates more particularly to that clas sof bottle-closures which is especially designed for use in bottling mineral waters, beer and other liquids requiring the bottles to be sealed against leakage of either liquids or gases under considerable pressure, and with .a high degree of security.

One object of my present improvements is to furnish a bottle-closure of the class described in which the combinations of elements therein, and their improved modes of action and co-action will be such that rubber and cork, now in general use for packing disks in such closures, may be replaced by more stable and effective materials, having agreater uniformity and of lower cost, and at the same time reduce the proportion of defective closures.

In the drawings accompanying and forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a bottle closure made in accordance with my present improvements. Fig. 2 is a central vertical, sectional view showing the several parts assembled in position ready for the setting operation. Fig. 3 is a sectional view similar to the right-hand portion of Fig. 2, but greatly enlarged. for more clearly illustrating certain features of the closure. Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view similar to Fig. 3, and showing anintermediate state of the setting operation. Fig. 5 is a similar vertical. central sectional view, showing the closure completed, at the end ofthe setting operation. Fig. 6 is a View similar to Fig. 5, and is a diagram for illustrating, certain features of the packing member in its relations to the other parts of the closure. Fig. 7 is a diagram illustrative of the lines of force between certain points and members in the completed closure, for more fully explaining the mode of operation thereof. Fig. 8 is a diagram similar to and drawn in vertical alinement with the lefthand portion of Fig. 7, for further illustrating certain features of the invention.

For convenience of comparison, Figs. 3, 4,

5, and 6, are all drawn in similar relation to the meridian line X, -X which coincides with the axis of the closure.

Similar characters designate like parts in all of the views. 1 I

When, as in theusual practice heretofore, a moldable but resilient and resistant packing-disk is laid over the bottle-mouth and then simply pressed into place by a lockedon metal cap, the substance of the disk is s'lbject to compression over a wide annular zone, andwithonly one line (and that 'a relatively broad one) of a relatively moderate pressure. The effect of that practice has been to so ,widely distribute the total pressure or sealing-force that the desired high security or sealin -effect was not satisfactorily, otained. Tlhese objections are overcome in my present improvements by the combinations in which there are two concentric bearingzones, and by other features operating in conjunction therewith, as hereinafter more fully explained.

In the mechanical co-action, or inter-action of its elements, my improved bottle closure operates in accordance with the prinriple of augmenting the sealing effect by reducing the area and thereby increasing the intensity of the high-pressurecontact; and, also, by dividing this high-pressure area into a plurality of relatively non-contiguous and narrow concentric zones or bearing-lines; and, further, by locating these zones or surfaces in opposing inclined positions, so that the total stress or pressure exerted upon the bottle face is concentrated upon relatively a smaller area and is therefore of a relatively greater intensity and consequent higher sealing-effect, than would otherwise be the case.

The application of my improved closure to bottles of the style of formation herein illustrated, may be made by means of instrumentalities which are already wellknown, and therefore I have not deemed it necessary to herein illustrate or particula rly describe the same.

In the drawings, my improved closure is shown applied to a well-known form of hottle-top, B, having the curved top-face, C, and the lock-face, or lock-rim, k.

The cap is designated in a general way by M, and has a depending outer flange N which surrounds the crown disk and is prefeia'bly furnished at its lower edge with some suitable retaining means,as for instance,

' the lock-rim-engaging hooks at r,.for en-.

ply spun under the face is, in a well-known manner; this permits the use of a plainly formed or unserrated lower edge for the flange N- In some.cases,as. herein illus- -trated,the flange N may have the wellknown indented formation, whereby the locking-on of the cap is effected in a wellknown manner byclosing in the lower edge of the flange N to a smaller diameter during the pressing down of the cap, by means of suitable mechanical appliances. This locked-on position is indicated in Figs. 5 and 8, in which the indents or hooks r en- "gage directly under the rim or face k. Be-

tween the bottle face C and the cap M, a packing member D is located for coacting with those other members in a peculiar manner, which I will now, by the aid of the sec tional-views and diagrams, more fully describe.

The curved top-face C, (Fig. 3) may be considered as comprising a medial or topzone d, (Fig. 4) located between the outer, annular bearing-zone and the inner, annular bearing zone 6 in Figs. 4:, 5 and 6, the two bearing zones are distinguished by shaded portions. The zone 6 inclines down wardly and outwardly, while the zone 6 inclines downwardly and inwardly from said medial zone d. ,This relative and preferred dispositicnof said zones is indicated in Fig. 6 by the lines t and t tangential to said zones 72 and'b respectively; the lines Z and Z indicate directions of pressure (see also, Figs. 7 and 8) vertically to said tangential lines 6 and b The outer high-pressure bearing-line or zone, 5 is shown located so far down on the outer side of the curve C, and the inner bearing-line, 6 so far down on the inner side of said curve C, that these respective tangential lines t and t form an angle '0 which preferably approaches or approximates a right-angle, with the result that the two highpressures or high-compression bearing rings of areas, 12 and n respectively, of the fully applied packing member D, may be said to have a wedging action downwardly upon those opposing annular bearing surfaces and 6 (See Figs. 5 and 6).

The cap andpacking member being first assembled on the bottle top as in Figs. 2 and 3, and pressure being then suitably applied over the cap and the flange N thereof, the said closure members are gradually forced downward and reshaped from their initial positions in Fig. 3, to the successive positionsillustrated in Figs. 4 and 5. Dur- I ward an outer pressure-ring, 11. but of less depth, is similarly formed.

The cap M has its rim-gripping flange N of a depth sufiicient for engaging under the bottle-rim at k, and for then extending upwardly and over the relatively thin packingzone 2 of the packing-member D, and there formingthe sectionally curved flange-grip at 9, while the crown disk or top m of the cap is adapted to be drawn down or reformed by the. settling-pressure into an elevated annular bearing-disk m and thus impart to the inner annular sealing-seat 12 an amount of pressure corresponding to that required for so re-forming said cap, and by reason of this organization of thesemembers and during the subjection of said packing-flange 2 to its final pressure, the said inner annular seat 6 is also normally subjected to a constantly increasing pressure.

The top-disk m of the cap M is shown in Figs. 2 and 3, of a preferred form in which the disk, throughout the entire diameter thereof, closely approximates a plane, while in Fig. 5 the outer zone m of this disk is shown drawn downwardly to a line or angle coinciding with the upper surface of the completed pressure-rings n and n of the packing member D. This construction pro-' vides a considerable initial space at S, Fig.

3, which space 1s progressively reduced in the succeeding stages of the setting-operation, as indicated at S in Figs. 4 and 5. Thus the initial provision of a crown or top-disk zone at m adapted to be re-formed substantially as set forth during and by the setting operation, provides for beginning the formation of the pressure-ring a well in advance of the formation of the pressure ring 11?, as indicated in Fig. 4.

. The packing member D comprises a plurality of parts arranged and adapted, respectively, for' several distinct uses and modes of operation, and whether of integral or composite formation, may be considered.

as consisting of two zones, layers or disks,

- as f and b, one applied or formed upon the bottle without injury thereto, chemically or otherwise, and in practice this result may be obtained in some cases by treating to a substantial depth the said inner or lower This part 72, should bev several component layers or zones, 7, h and.

1 of the member D, has thefurther advantage of permitting the use therein of a material of cheaper but more desirable quality,-such as fiber-stock, paper-board or card-board,and which is more readily and properly moldable while affording suflicient resistance during the setting operation.

In the preferred construction illustrated, the member D may be considered, as to certain features of the combinations, as consisting of a prising a thin, sealing-sheet, 79, forming flexible and high-resistance the lower layer and of a diameter covering the three zones, b d and b of the bottle-face C; a second layer, h, consisting of a relatively low-resistance packing-disk of moldable fiber applied on said sealing-sheet and having its outer molding-zone, z, of a diameter substantially equal to said sealing-sheet or disk; and a third layer consisting of a relativelv low-resistance fo cing-disk, f, on said second layer and of a diameter for only extending over an inner zone, b which is preferably substantially one-third of the total radial width of the three bottle-face zones. Thus, when arranged substantially as described. there will be formed in the fully-applied packing-member, two pressure-rings of which one is a relativelythin outer-ring and the other is a relatively-deep inner ring, and between those two pressurerings, a space-zone, or zone of low-compression. located over the middle .zone (1 of the bottle face, whereby the sealing-action is concentrated on the bottle-face upon noncontiguous concentric zones.

During the formation of the inner pressure ring a Fig. 4, and until this ring is well advanced. the upper disk 7 operates as a fo cing member or disk for driving downwardly the central portion of the sealinglayers, h, h, while the outer zone 2 (Fig. 4:) of these layers is still free of any substantial compressive force, and is therefore readilv conformable to the conditions produced by that forcing action. But later, after said inner ring a is nearly formed, the cap-flange N draws down upon the outer edge of said zone 2 and by a sliding and compressive action thereon forces said packing zone or flange against the bearing-line b and thus draws and forms said zone or flange 2 outwardly and downwardly, in opposition to the forces operating to form said inner ring a This peculiar action has the 'efiect of first seating the packing a strain-sheet of the packing three-layer packing-member com-- h, in order dition ready for use.

firmly against the inner hearing I), then disk drawing or wrapping'that disk over the medial zone d of the curved face 0', and finally seating the outer edge] a firmly against said outer bearing-line b Thus the said pressure-rings, n and a, are begun in succession but are completed substantially simultaneously. In this operation the disk It is subjected simultaneously to the sealingpressure and to a diametrical contraction from a larger initial dimension; this tends to produce an inwardly sliding action between the contacting surfaces of the sealingdisk and the bottle face'G in both the outer and the inner sealing or high pressure zones 6 and b and thus tends to draw, the sealing sheet, while under an increasing pressure, into a perfect fit or contact .over the whole area ofthe contacting surfaces.

The diameter desirable for the lower disk that its outer zone 2 may properly wrap down over the hearing If, is such as-naturally to make this disk edge impinge within the flange N of the cap M, when the parts are assembled ready for setting, as illustrated in Fig. 2. This initial excessdiameter of the zone 2 over the inside diameter of the flange N, provides for a prior assembling of the caps M and disks D, so the closure may be handled by the bottling operators, and in machines, as a-single article. Also, this pre-assembling in that manner of the parts M and 'D, especially when under an' engagement forcible enough to normally hold them together while large numbers are handled in bulk, provides for supplying the closures to the trade as a complete article of manufacture, and in con- In practice, the caps M and packing disks D may be thus preassembled by hand, but they are also adapted to be assembled together by automatic machines at an extremely low cost. When the disk It has the lower part thereof formed of the strain-sheet, or specially prepared sealing-sheet, 71. only this part of said lower disk need have the described retaining engagement with the cap M; this feature is illustrated in Fig. 3. In this preferred construction, I preferably usefor the layer h a sheet of fiber stock; of the kind now usually top bears first downwardly upon the outer zone 2 ,of the packing-layer f (see Figs. 3

and 4) and is next re-shaped by the continued descent of the cap-rim for directly coacting with the bearing zone 6 of the bottle-face'C, and thus subject the said zone a of the-packing member D to simultaneous vertical and diametrical compression. This feature is illustrated in Fig. 8, where the resistance to that diametrical compression is indicated by the arrow e, and the downward compressive action by the arrow e so that the arrow e which thus divides the angle of said arrows e and e represents the resultant line of force by which the effective pressure is normally exerted directly upon and substantially vertical to the tangential line 25 of the bearing-zone b. Thus the pressurering a, as finally completed by and during the setting operation, has normally an outwardly-expansive tendency which actively tends to force such pressure-ring outwardly after the manner of a wedge, between and against the angularly-disposed faces or zones m and b and tends to do this in such a way as to keep a relatively high-pressure on said ring a when,as frequently happensin practice,-the cap recedes upwardly by a slight but material amount when the closure is released from the pressure of a cap-setting mechanism. That take-up action of said ring a is especially favored by the location of the medial low-pressure or space zone d, located between and separating the two pressure-rings n and n so that an actual diametrical enlargement under normal conditions of said inner pressurering n does not necessarily or usually require any corresponding enlargement of the "outer pressure-ring n nor involve a material amount of slipping, if any at all, of the said outer ring 12 upon the bottle face C.

By reason of the drawing down as above described of the outer zone m it will .now be evident that when an upward pressure (as from gases forming within the bottle) is applied to the lower side of the complete closure, such upward pressure, acting through the relatively uncompressed and therefore relatively mobile inner portions, as at y, g Fig. 5. of the packing disks f and h,will tend, through a compression of those portions, to diametrically enlarge the same and thus tend in a measure to force outwardly the pressure zone 92 (see Figs. 4, 5 and 8) in a manner to make this zone wedge in more tightly (through such tenden'cy to outward movement) between the said inner seal-bearing b and the said upper-inclined zone m In this operation, and under the conditions indicated, the said pressure zone n as will now be evident, acts after the nature of a circular expandible 5 wedge, and this action tends,-and tends in .tion to which I Fig. 7, the tension line,

' gulations on opposite sides,

a very material degree, I apprehend,to preserve against impairment a completely effective sealing pressure on the said inner seal-bearing b of the bottle face, notwithstanding there may be some tendency of the cap to slightly retract upwardly in cases where the closure is maintained for a long periodof time. The peculiar wedging achave referred, naturally is in opposition to, and corrective of, that peculiar action of the cap itself which results from the stress due to the completing of the formation of the cap during the setting operation, and of any resiliency in the metal of the cap resulting from the deformation (or rather the re-formation) of the cap during the setting operation.

The operation of the closure membersas between each other, ivesfocal points or hearing points and hnes-of-force (triangulation lines) according to a system which is illustrated in Fig. 7, and to which, I apprehend, the high .practical closure may be largely due. From the anchorage 3 (on the face is) in the diagram,

extends directly upwardly to the outer focal point 5, which is located on a line i, this line being vertical to the outer bearingline 6 this hearing line or surface forming the basis of resistance against the further inward movement, or downward movement, of the'said focal point 5. The tension line next turns toward the upper focal point 7, as indicated at '6, the point 7 being on a line, 8, extending downwardly to the inner hearing line or zone 6 from the point 7 the tension line, as 9, extends directlyacross the closure and connects at the point 7 with the similar system of triangulation lines on the opposite side of the closure. Thus the several opposing forces, as between the trianrespectively, of the closure, when observed in sectional view as in Fig. 7, together constitute a complete system in which the elements on one side of such a sectional plane co-act directly with and against those on the opposite side,

thereby forming a complete balance of those forces, and eflecting in the completed closure a co-action of all of the elements thereof in a most complete and effective manner.

In some instances, if preferred for economizing material orotherwise, the material in the central portion of the upper disk f (about one-half the diameter thereof, as at f, Fig. 2,) may be removed or omitted, especially if, for some particular service, a greater diametrical contraction of this disk may be desired; and, similarly,such a central portion, as 71?, Fig. 2, of the'lower zone or disk- It may be omitted, especially in cases where a strong lower sheet h is employed, but for general use I prefer the disks or zones f and h to be unperforated efficiency of the y or line of force, 4,

or at least to have one of them (preferably the zone It in such a case) continuous over the entire diameter thereof.

Av plurality of concentric bearing zones combined with a cap having separate packing members for the respective zones, constitutes in part the subject matter of my copending application Serial No. 580,309v

upper face three zones comprising a medial I top-zone between two oppositely inclined concentric bearing-zones, and with a metal cap having the crown disk and having the depending outer flange provided on its lower edge with lock-rim-engaging locking-on means, of a packing member comprising a lower packing disk of a diameter greater than the outer diameter of said medial topzone, and an upper forcing member of a diameter corresponding with the inner diameter of said medial zone, whereby during the setting operation, the formation of an inner pressure-ring over said inner bearing-zone 1s begun in advance of the forming of the outer zone of said lower-disk into an outer v pressure-zone bearing on the said outer bearing-zone.

2. In a bottle closure of the class described, the combination with the bottle top having the curved upper face and a lock-rim for engaging the metal cap, and having in said upper face three zones comprising a medial top-zone between two oppositely inclined concentric bearing-zones, and with a metalcap having the crown disk and having the depending outer flange provided on its lower edge with lock-rim-engaging locking-on means, of a packing member comprising a lower packing disk of a diameter greater than the outer diameter of said medial topzone, and a forcing member of a diameter corresponding with the inner diameter of said medial zone, and having said members forming a low-pressure zone located in the fully-compressed packing-member directly over the middle zone of the bottle-face and between the said two concentric high-pressure bearing zones.

3. In a bottle closure of the class described, the combination with the bottle top having the curved upper face and a lock-rim for engaging the metal cap, and having in said upper face three zones comprising a medial top-zone between two oppositely inclined concentric bearing-zones, and with a metalcap having the crown disk and having the depending outer flange provided on its lower edge with lock-rim-engaging locking-on means, of a packing-member comprising a flexible relatively unmoldable sealing-disk of a diameter for engaging in the unset-cap for holding those parts assembled before setting; a moldable disk having an outer molding-zone bearing on said sealing-disk and corresponding substantially in diameter therewith; and a central forcing-disk having a diameter corresponding with the inner diameter of the molding-zone of the larger moldable disk, whereby on the complete setting thereof the closure has an annular low pressure-zone located in the fully-applied packing-member between two concentric annular high-pressure zones.

4. In a bottle closure of the class described, the combination with the bottle top' having the sealing-face and a locking-on rim for a metal cap, and having in said face three zones comprising a medial top-zone between an outer bearing-zone and an inner bearing zone, of a three-layer packing-member comprising a thin, flexible and high-resistance sealing-sheet forming the lower layer and of a diameter covering said three zones of the bottle-face; a second layer consisting of a relatively low-resistance packing-disk of moldable fiber and having its outer zone on said sealing-sheet, and having a diameter substantially equal thereto; and a third layer thicker than said second layer and consisting of a forcing disk having a relatively low-resistance to compression and a diameter extending over said inner bearing-zone, and ametal cap arranged for bearing down on the forcing disk and thereby also compressing the outer zone of said first and second layers into a pressure-zone against the outer zone of the bottle-face, with a lowcompression zone between said bearing zones.

5. In a bottle closure of the class described, the combination with the bottle top having the curved upper face comprising a medial top-zone between two oppositely inclined annular bearing zones, of the three-layer packing member D, it comprising a thin, flexible and high-resistance sealing-sheet forming the lower layer and of a diameter covering said three zones of the bottle-face; a second layer consisting of a disk of moldable fiber on said sealing-sheet and of a diameter substanti ally equal thereto and a third layer consisting of a forcing-disk located above said secondlayer and of a diameter extending over the inner said bearing-zone, and a metal cap bearing down on the forcing disk forming an inner high pressure-zone, and compressing the outer zone of said first and second layers into a high pressure-zone for bearing against an outer zone of the bottle-face, and with an annular low-pressure zone between said high pressure-zones.

6. In a bottle closure of the class described,

the combination with the bottle top having the curved upper face and a locking-on run for a metal cap, and having in said upper face three zones comprising a media] topzonebetween two oppositely inclined hearing-zones, and with a cap having the crown disk and a depending outer flange provided on its lower edge with locking-on-means, of

' a packing member comprisinga lower packing disk of a diameter 'eater thanthe outer diameter of said me 'al top-zone, and a forcing member of a diameter corresponding with the inner diameter of said medial zone, whereby to form in the fully applied packing-member a low-compression zone directly WILLIAM E. GASTON;

Witnesses STEELE MONTRESS, H. B. TAYLOR.

packing-member against the downa 

